New Big East Commissioner Aresco Optimistic

Sees Conference Getting Stronger

NEW YORK — — The Big East Conference may be fighting for survival, but there was lots of optimism in the ballroom at the New York Athletic Club Wednesday.

It was Big East commissioner Mike Aresco's first men's basketball media day and he was selling his conference. Aresco announced that the conference had signed a long-term agreement to keep its postseason tournament at Madison Square Garden and he rattled off the accomplishments of the conference members.

"It's hard to argue that top to bottom, we're not the best conference in America," Aresco said.

Whether that's true in the coming years remains to be seen. The Big East has already lost West Virginia, and Syracuse and Pittsburgh are leaving for the ACC after this year.

Notre Dame, a member in all sports but football, is also leaving for the ACC sometime over the next few years.

But Louisville coach Rick Pitino, a longtime advocate for adding Memphis and Temple, said he believes the conference could be just as strong in the post-realignment era. While it's unclear if some future members such as Central Florida, SMU and Houston will add much to the basketball division, Pitino said Temple and Memphis are ideal replacements for Syracuse and Pitt.

"I fought very hard to try and get people to understand how much Temple and Memphis would mean to this conference," Pitino said. "If you look at the tradition of Temple and Memphis, it equals Syracuse and Pittsburgh. Those are two awesome programs.

"Now, we will miss Syracuse. ... Syracuse is Madison Square Garden, it is the Big East because they bring so many fans to Big East events in the city. I want to see how many fans they're going to bring to Tobacco Row."

When apprised of what Pitino said, Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim said his longtime friend was "full of [expletive]." But Pitino, whose own school has lobbied for an invitation from the Big 12, insists Big East basketball will continue to thrive.

"Memphis, every year they have a top 10 recruiting [class]," Pitino said. "They're always going to have some of the best players in college basketball. And Temple is a sleeping giant."

Pitino conceded that the likes of Houston, SMU and Central Florida won't bring crowds to New York for the Big East tournament.

"But Memphis travels very well," he said.

At least conference officials know where the tournament will be for the foreseeable future. With speculation swirling that the ACC would move its postseason tournament to Madison Square Garden, the Big East locked down the building with a new deal believed to be for 10 years.

The conference has been holding its tournament at MSG since 1983 and the current contract with the building runs through 2016.

"We all know what the Garden has meant to college basketball and what the Big East has meant to the Garden," Aresco said. "It's a legendary place and our teams have contributed to that status, over three decades."

Louisville No. 1

Pitino's team is among the top teams in most national polls, so it was no surprise that Louisville was No. 1 in the Big East coaches preseason poll. The Cardinals earned 14 of 15 first-place votes, with one vote going to No. 3 Notre Dame. Syracuse is No. 2.

UConn, which was tied with Syracuse for preseason No. 1 last year, was picked ninth. The biggest surprise might have been Providence, which was picked 15th.

Former Fairfield coach Ed Cooley, in his second year at Providence, said he was taken aback by his team's spot. Cooley said he will use the poll as motivation for his players.

"Our players are going to be pissed off ... they really are," Cooley said.

Providence is without highly regarded freshman Kris Dunn of New London. Dunn is out until at least late December as he recovers from shoulder surgery.

"It's been very frustrating," Cooley said. "He's a young man who's never not played. It's a young man who's come in with the highest credentials as anyone at Providence College in recent history. We've been just dealing with him more emotionally. He's getting better, but he's not there yet. ... We won't rush him back until he's ready to go. I don't want to jeopardize his future for a short term gain."

Brazeau In Town

Former University of Hartford coach Paul Brazeau was introduced as the Big East's senior associate commissioner for men's basketball. Brazeau, who coached the Hawks from 1992 to 2000, has been NBA vice president of basketball operations since 2001.

Why leave a comfortable job in professional basketball for a conference in a state of flux?

"I have great respect for [the conference's] history and traditions," said Brazeau, a Boston College graduate. "It was the right time, an exciting time. A lot of changes going on in college athletics. ... This conference is on the rise. I believe that."